Be Patient 💭

Patience is a virtue, and a necessary virtue at that. In a world where instant gratification is king it is becoming harder to tolerate any sort of wait time.

So how do we retrain our brains? How do we allow ourselves to let go of the anxious feelings that overcome us as our patience runs thin? Just like anything else in life, it takes practice.

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Start on a small scale. The moment you begin to feel frustrated take a step back. Recognize the feeling of impatience, and pinpoint the cause. Is it because you are running late and someone is holding you up? Perhaps you have repeated yourself over and over only to realize that no one was listening to you. Understanding what triggers this feeling is the first step to overcoming it. Now that you have realized the cause of your stress, see if there is anything you can do to change it. More than likely you will have little control over the situation. What you will always have control over, though, is yourself.

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Cognitively override these emotions by recognizing that you can't change your circumstance. Realize that letting the feelings of impatience linger will not solve anything. Instead of dwelling on them, focus your attention to something pleasant. Do this by listing things you are grateful for. You may be stuck in traffic, but you have a car. The line at the grocery store is unfathomably long, but you have enough money for groceries. Tune out the annoyances and replace them with gratitude.

Try distracting yourself. It may seem like the oldest trick in the book, but it's the most popular trick for a reason. No matter what you are waiting for, your mother-in-law to go home, your tv show to come on, or an uber driver to arrive, you can find something else to focus your attention on. Do busywork. Write a shopping list, read a book, or scroll through social media. The repetitive action will calm you down. Try not to think about anything else other than the task you have given yourself. You'll find that your worries melt away when you allow yourself a break from the stressful reality of waiting.

If an individual is the reason you keep tapping your fingers then you may need to take a more heads-on approach to calming yourself. Before you say something you regret take a moment to center your thoughts, and breathe. Bite your tongue. Leave the room if you must. Once you are calm enough to see the situation in an unbiased manner your interaction will go much more smoothly. Do your best to see where the other person is coming from. It is possible that the frustration that you feel may be shared with the other party. Actively listen to what they are trying to communicate. Try seeing things from their point of view. They may need to take more time than you to process information or do a physical activity. Instead of blaming them for what they can not do, offer assistance to make the process go by quicker or easier. If the other person does not comprehend your side of things then take a different approach. A change in gear is a wonderful way to practice patience. Being actively involved will most likely resolve the issue that made you so distressed in the first place.

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If all else fails, just breathe. Be in the moment, recognize that there is chaos around you. Know that you have the power to be still. Even laugh at the absurdity of it all! Remind yourself that the urgency that you feel does not always match the situation. Ignore the unpleasantries of your environment by letting your body relax. Release any tension you may be storing. Unclench your fists, let your shoulders drop, unlock your knees. Give your body what it needs during this time of stress. Do this as often as you can. If you practice the physical side of patience it will naturally lead to the mindfulness of patience,

Be easy on yourself. Many people go their entire lives without this skill, as this process takes time. Continue to practice it often, as it will ultimately benefit you for the rest of your life.

I hope you enjoy This post !!

Thank you for your comments and votes

Much love, Suzana